This invention relates to an automatic grinding machine and particularly to a production surface grinder for grinding of flat or contoured surfaces on parts.
In the forming of various metal, metal parts are formed which must have a finished and accurately ground surface. Various grinding machines are available, in many of which the part is moved past a grinding wheel or the like. A particularly satisfactory production surface grinding machine for forming of flat or contoured metal parts and the like is manufactured and sold by REFORM Maschinenfabrik A. Rabenseifner and Co. of West Germany. The production surface grinder has a long supporting bed which may have a length of hundreds of inches, such as 30 to 500 inches. The bed is provided with a stationary electromagnetic chuck. The metallic work part is fixedly secured to the chuck by energizing of electromagnets in the chuck. A grinding unit is mounted on a traversing carriage which is adapted to move over the complete length of the bed. A suitable hydraulic motor is connected to the carriage which reciprocates back and forth over the magnetic bed. A drive motor and spindle is secured to the carriage and an annular grinding head is secured to the spindle and supports an annular grinding wheel. Energization of the head motor results in corresponding rotation of the spindle with the end face of the annular grinding wheel moving over the surface of the work part and grinding of the top surface. The grinding wheel is moved downwardly a small step at the end of each pass until the total amount is reached. Such machines are known and used in industry where high quality production grinding of metal parts or pieces are required. Such machinery of course is expensive and maximum usage of the apparatus is required.
Grinding apparatus of such construction generally require the manual operation when relatively small parts are being worked in order to control the work cycle. Significant production time is lost during the time of loading and unloading the machine during which grinding cannot be carried out.
There is a need for production grinding apparatus which permits continuous grinding operation during the periods of loading and unloading of parts and the like.